How Does BoxCast Compare to Facebook Live and YouTube Live?

With the growing popularity of Facebook Live and YouTube Live, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about the difference between those services and BoxCast’s live video streaming solution.

We’re big fans of those platforms; like BoxCast, they allow people to broadcast important content to a larger audience. In fact, we’ve even built integrations that allow you to simultaneously stream BoxCast broadcasts to Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

There’s also no denying the mass distribution opportunities that Facebook and YouTube offer organizations. With a combined user base of over 2 billion people, Facebook and YouTube allow you to share your events with a global audience.

Still, streaming exclusively on Facebook Live or YouTube Live has its downsides and limitations. This post explains why BoxCast remains the perfect streaming solution for organizations.

1. Accessibility

Different social media channels cater to different demographics. When you stream on Facebook Live or YouTube Live, you can only reach people already on those respective platforms. Not to mention that the value of your content is diluted because of all the competing content on those social platforms.

We don’t want to limit your access in that way; instead we see live video streaming as a way that organizations can engage their audiences wherever they are, whether it be on the internet, social media, email, or their televisions.

2. Support

It’s important to us that we proactively help our customers stream. We take pride in our onboarding process and work with our customers to work through any issues. If you have a problem with Facebook Live or YouTube Live, who do you call? Both companies refuse to provide a support number. When your organization is sharing an important event with people around the world, having someone to call matters.

3. Buffering

The idea of buffering plagues anyone who’s ever watched video. It seems to always come at the most inopportune moment and viewers are left helpless, entirely at the mercy of their device and internet connection. Facebook and YouTube are not immune to this problem.

To minimize the likelihood of buffering, BoxCast transcodes your video in the cloud and has five adaptive bitrates instead of just one. Don’t speak tech? That just means that your viewers will be able to watch your videos at the highest possible quality that works with their network.

4. Production Value

What happens when you want your camera to zoom, add an overlay image, or feed multiple cameras? BoxCast’s tools make it really easy to put on a high quality broadcast that will keep your viewers engaged. Not to mention that there are certain limitations to Facebook Live and YouTube Live that you’ll want to seriously consider. Facebook only lets you stream for four hours at a time and will only broadcast in 720p. With BoxCast, you can stream in crisp 1080p for as long as you’d like.

5. Security & Privacy

Many customers care about the privacy and security of their content. YouTube and Facebook will take ownership of your content so that they can monetize it with ads. We understand the importance of preserving your brand, so we don’t put our own logo or any ads anywhere.

6. Ads

Ads provide a distracting experience for your viewers; in fact, the explicit purpose of an ad is to attract attention. Why would you want to deliberately pull people away from the valuable content you’re sharing? Worse, ads can at times be inappropriate for your audience. It’s why BoxCast is an ad-free solution.

7. Monetization

The old adage holds true: "You gotta spend money to make money." BoxCast will help your organization monetize its content by:

helping you market your content/experience.

letting you set your own ticket price.

handling payments from paying viewers.

BoxCast is the solution for any organization that wants an easy way to put on a sophisticated and professional broadcast. From churches to schools to municipalities to athletic facilities, we want to work with you.

Recommended Reading:

If you’re comparing various streaming solutions, you’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of options out there. The Buyer’s Guide to Live Video Streaming outlines important features to consider so that you can find the best solution that meets your needs.